Meet Ruth: A Volunteer From the LinkPETS Program
My volunteering experience with LinkPETS started in September 2017 when I was introduced to Margaret and the delightfully energetic Alfie, a 2 year old Maltese X Shih Tzu. I’ve been taking Alfie for weekly walks ever since, giving him much appreciated regular exercise and the chance to enjoy the local park and passing canines.
Margaret is a spritely lady whose company I really enjoy. We’ve spent many hours chatting about all sorts of things, from life in England (Margaret and I both emigrated from the UK), to books we’ve read and movies worth seeing at the cinema. Despite our age gap, we discovered many similarities: apart from us both coming from England, my mum is also called Margaret; I worked in the same town in England where Margaret lived and her car number plate are my initials and date of birth. Our paths were destined to cross!
One of the wonderful aspects of volunteering is that you meet people from all walks of life, some of whom you may share common interests. For older people in particular, apart from helping with practical tasks like walking their dog or clearing out their cat’s litter tray, they really enjoy having some company and just connecting with people. And as a volunteer, it’s a great way for me to give back to the community and make a difference to someone’s life, albeit in a small but much appreciated way.
– Ruth Barnard
If you would like to become a volunteer or learn more about the LinkPETS program, please click here.
